1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron beam apparatus having an electron emitting device and an image display apparatus having the electron beam apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to reduce the power consumption of the image display apparatus having the electron beam apparatus, it is desirable to reduce the electrostatic capacitance of each electron emitting device and a drive circuit thereof and thereby reduce the charge/discharge current flowing into the electron emitting device and the drive circuit in a drive mode.
The conventional electron beam apparatus includes a plurality of strips of cathode wirings crossing a plurality of strips of gate wirings located above the cathode wirings, wherein an electron emitting device is arranged in each region where both types of the wirings cross each other. The gate wirings and the cathode wirings of the electron beam apparatus for the image display apparatus, when arranged in matrix, unavoidably cross each other, and an electrostatic capacitance develops in each region where the gate wiring and the cathode wiring cross each other through an insulating layer. Also, since each electron emitting device is formed in the region where both types of electrode wirings cross each other, a large area is required in each wiring crossing region to secure the space for arrangement of the electron emitting device. This tends to further increase the electrostatic capacitance in the crossing regions.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-46636 discloses an image display apparatus including an electron emission unit of a planar type in which X-array electrodes (X-electrode wirings) and a Y-array electrodes (Y-electrode wirings) form a matrix electrode. Each electron emission unit is formed on the portion of the substrate surface other than the crossing regions between the X-array electrodes and the Y-array electrodes. Therefore, the electron emission unit is not arranged in the crossing portion of the X-array electrodes and the Y-array electrodes, so that the electrostatic capacitance between both types of the array electrodes is reduced.